A New Start
by Faye-Noctua
Summary: Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town has finally woken up after a five-year coma. Everything he had done was all a dream; but now he has a chance to become a true Pokémon trainer. Will he learn from his mistakes and complete all of the Alola region's challenges before his longtime rival Gary? Rated T to be safe
1. Waking Up

"" - Human speech

'' - Pokémon speech (humans cannot understand it)

Disclaimers: I do not own Pokémon and am not in any way affiliated with it.

This story is not at all related to what has happened in the anime series thus far, and the beginning is based solely on a theory thought up by the Pokémon fan community.

 **So I was planning on Ash going to the Alola region in the second chapter (if there is one; I know the first chapter is slightly boring...), but sorry if I mess up some things about the Alola region; I will try my best to make it all fit with what has been released about the game, so if something is wrong, please don't hate, but comment what you think is wrong, and if I agree, I will try my best to fix it :)**

 **Also, yes, Pikachu is a boy. I tried my best to keep him without a gender, but it just couldn't happen. I'm sorry, but it is what it is xD.**

 **This is my first ever fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy!  
**

* * *

It was a perfect day. The sun shined through the trees and onto the ocean surrounding all of Kanto, causing it to sparkle with the light of millions of rays of the sun, dancing up and down as waves rushed towards the shore, washing up on the island.

Up and down the many streets of Kanto kids played, trained, and raced with their Pokémon. Some threw and caught frisbees, some lifted weights and learned new moves, while others participated in races against their fellow trainers, laughing and jumping up and down with joy as they cheered on their partners and best friends.

But beyond that lay a dark grey building on the outskirts of Cinnabar Island. It shadowed over the entire beach on which stood, quite opposite from the jovial feeling that accompanied Kanto. Surrounding it was a black picket fence, standing 5 feet high, making any traveler turn back in fear. It was Cinnabar hospital, known for its out-of-the-world research and development in mental damage; including comas, concussions, and more.

So although the building seems dark and menacing, inside was a much different story. Inside, was a 15-year old boy. Inside was a Pikachu; one who has lain on the boy's bed for the past five years along with his mom, waiting for him to wake up. And on that very day, their one and only hope and wish was about to come true.

The monitor attached to the teenage boy suddenly beeped loud and quick. What had been a steady heartbeat for years had now spiked. Pikachu and Delia jerked their heads up from where they were previously resting on the edges of the bed. The next second, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town was sitting up right in front of them, sweat pouring down his back.

Just then, two nurses came rushing in, holding IV bags and who knows what else. They wheeled in yet another machine and started attaching all sorts of things to the boy. All Pikachu and Delia could do was look on helplessly as Ash struggled against the ropes tethering him to the living world. At last another nurse came in and held Ash down until he gave up his attempts to escape.

He then mumbled something and looked around frantically, craning his head up in an attempt to see. He looked everywhere, but there was nothing around him except for the gaping Pikachu and his mom, just as in shock.

Ash was still breathing hard when the three left the room to inform the doctor. Pikachu hopped onto the bed as Delia leaned forward, and saw silent tears running down Ash's face.

"Ash?" Said his mom, concerned. "What's wrong?"

'Pika Pika!' Said Pikachu, sharing her concerns for the boy.

Unfortunately, he didn't seem to hear them and soon Ash was shaking and sobbing into the sheets, unable to stop. Delia and Pikachu ran over to him, trying in vain to help, yet not knowing what's wrong.

"They left me. Every single one of them. Even Brock, Misty, May-none of them cared about me." Ash cried. "Not even-not even Serena."

At that even more sobs racked his body, and he buried his head into his pillow, covering his ears, trying to wake up from what seemed like a terrible dream.

Delia and Pikachu turned towards each other, both as confused as the other. Eventually Delia turned around and slowly pulled back the covers, easing Ash onto his side and caressing his face as she did, murmuring soothing words the entire time.

Finally Ash managed to calm down enough so that he could lie still, though the tears still rolled down his face, dropping onto the pillow, which was now soaked with the droplets. After a few more minutes, Delia saw her son had mainly recovered from whatever had caused him so much grief, and decided to ask.

"Okay, so would you mind explaining this from the beginning? I know you just woke up, and everything must be very confusing and frightening for you, but I promise I will tell you my story if you tell me yours."

Ash slowly nodded his head in understandment, and sat back up again. Out of instinct he reached to his belt for his pokéballs, but found nothing there. Tears threatened to explode out of him once again, but this time he managed to hold them back.

Slowly Ash took a raspy breath and began his tale. Hours upon hours passed. Days turn into nights, then back again, but still Pikachu and Delia sat and listen to Ash patiently as his five year journey was told.

Pikachu laughed at all the different adventures the two supposedly went on together, and Delia shook her head disapprovingly at the both of them, worried about how much danger they could have gotten in. But then she realized none of it was real, and simply smiled at the close bond Pikachu and Ash seemed to share.

After what seemed like weeks, and probably was, Ash collapsed from fatigue, finally finished with his tale. Delia leaned back as well, but Pikachu only bounded up to Ash, snuggling in with his best friend. Ash laughed, happy and relieved that at least one of his friends stayed with him.

"So Ash." Delia finally said, breaking the silence. "That was quite the story you told, and I really am very sorry that all these people you talked about don't exist. But I made you a promise. I will tell you my story as soon as you are ready."

Ash perked up, surprising Pikachu, who became squished under the bed covers despite his protests, as Ash, oblivious to Pikachu, propped his head up with his elbow, eyes wide, wanting to know exactly what had happened.

"Nope. I'm fine. Tell me!" Ash said eagerly.

Delia smiled at the familiar personality of her son, glad to see him almost back to his normal self.

"No, I think you should get some more rest. You haven't slept since you began your story! Although then again, you did sleep for five years… I never knew you could oversleep that much! Delia said jokingly.

Ash's eyes widened at this new information.

"Five years! I can't believe it. Wait, how?"

Delia began to walk towards the door, but turned her head back and smiles.

"Like I said, that must be a story for another day."

At that point in time, Pikachu had finally managed to squirm his way out from under the sheets, and having heard the entire conversation thus far, joined Ash in his puppy-dog stare, knowing Delia had quite a talent for telling stories.

Delia sighed once again.

"Alright… But you have to promise me you'll get a nice long rest after I'm done, okay?"

Both Ash and Pikachu nodded their heads eagerly, even though Delia had directed it towards Ash only.

Delia tucked the two of them back in as Ash lies down again, then went to settle down in the chair next to his bed. The nurses and doctor had long ago cleared out the many machines filling the hospital room except for one, so there was plenty of space for Delia. And so the story began.

"Five years ago, you were a little boy. You were only 10, the age where you get your first Pokémon. The day where you receive your starter, you woke up late and rushed to Professor Oak's lab, hoping that you still had a chance. Lucky for you, the Professor was kind enough to give you Pikachu, even though Pikachu is not technically a Kanto starter. Soon enough, you came out, I reminded you to give your underwear, and you then set off on your journey."

Ash grinned as he remembered that day, and held Pikachu closer.

"Well," Delia continued. "I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but the next day, I started to get worried. You were supposed to call me in the morning so I could make sure you weren't eaten alive."

"Mom... " Ash groaned.

"Anyways… I went to Professor Oak, and he agreed to help me search for you. Well, only a few miles from Pallet Town, we found you and Pikachu on the ground, unconscious. So we rushed you to the nearest hospital, praying for you to wake up. The doctors said you were fine… but they didn't know how long you would be in a coma."

Ash looked mortified.

"I remember that! There was a Rattata rummaging through my backpack, and after I shooed it away, I saw a ton of Pidgey had gathered behind me. I was quite frustrated at that point, so I threw a rock at it. Well, it turned out to be a Spearow, and it started to attack me and Pikachu here. Pikachu, brave as he is, shot a thunderbolt at the Spearow. However, that just ended up alerting the entire flock, and before we knew it, we were riding off a cliff. I must have hit my head pretty hard. I guess the dreams just started from there." Ash said sadly.

'Pika Pika!' Pikachu snuggled up next to Ash, hating to relive the memory as well. He could remember how Ash had saved him, finding him on the ground, and shouting for help.

"No wonder." Delia said, tears in her eyes. She dabbed them away, looking down as she continued on. "Well, when we brought you to the hospital, we never realized Pikachu was right on our tails, just as worried about you. He managed to sneak into the room and keep watch over you the entire time. Never have I seen a Pokémon so loyal to their trainer as Pikachu is to you." Delia looked affectionately at Pikachu, grateful for the friendship he provided which she suspected kept Ash sane.

"Anyways, there's really nothing to tell after that. You stayed in your coma for five years, and although I had to stay home to take care of the house, Pikachu never left your side. We never gave up hope, and it sure was a good thing we didn't."

"Thanks, bud. I always knew you would come through." Ash said to Pikachu, in awe that he had never left him. He was extremely honored, and soon enough, tears of joy sprang to his eyes as he held Pikachu close, never wanting to let him go.

"Alright, now a promise is a promise. Go to sleep." Delia said, smiling.

"Do I have to?..." Ash groaned, having forgotten all about that. "I've had enough sleep for a lifetime."

Delia simply walked out the door, turning off the light behind her.

'Pika Pi!' Pikachu said, annoyed Delia was making them sleep.

"I know, buddy, I know." But even as he spoke, Ash yawned, and started drifting off to sleep.

Pikachu looked at him understandingly, and burrowed under the blankets, feeling the warmth of Ash's sleeping body.


	2. The Professor's Cousin

"" - Human speech

'' - Pokémon speech (humans cannot understand it)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon and am not in any way affiliated with it.

 **Hey guys, thanks so much for the support on the previous story. Hopefully once I write a few more chapters, this will get out more, and more people will read it :). I plan to write a new chapter every week, and I'm sorry the story is moving so slow! I wanted the transition to Alola to be smooth, so I hope you enjoy nevertheless!**

 **Also, I made Ash more mature. I mean, he's 15 years old, so it only seemed fit xD.**

 **Credit to my friend for helping me out on ideas for this chapter. Thanks!**

* * *

After a few weeks, Ash was walking around the island, exercising, and training with Pikachu. Although he still needed the occasional rest every few hours, Ash was eager to catch up with his longtime rival Gary, and as a result, trained with Pikachu day and night, as he learned new moves, increased his stats, and continued to improve on his and Ash's lifetime bond of friendship.

One day, right after lunch, Professor Oak approached the garden outside of Cinnabar Hospital, looking around impatiently as he searched the expansive meadow filled with berry bushes, flowers, and trees. Ash and Pikachu looked up from their training, curious as to why he was he was here. Standing next to him, and slightly back, was a large man with dark brown skin and off-white hair that resembled a miniature cape. He was wearing a light jade-green shirt with different patterns on it in all different colors, and Ash wondered what connection he had with the renowned Professor Oak.

"Oh, hello Ash!" Professor Oak started at the sight of the young boy. "I've been looking for you!"

Before Ash could respond, the man behind the professor stepped up and whispered into his ear. Professor Oak nodded once, then twice, and the man stepped back once again, smiling with the left side of his mouth tilted slight upward. It reminded Ash of the Giovanni he had experienced in his coma-induced dreams, the leader of Team Rocket.

"Yes, yes. Well Ash, I have come here to talk to you about something."

Ash and Pikachu turned towards each other, worried about why Professor Oak had been in such a hurry to find them. Suddenly, a terrifying thought hit Ash, and he jerked his head up towards Professor Oak, dreading the question.

"Has something happened to my mom?" Ash finally managed to choke out.

Delia had left early in the morning the same day, saying she was preparing a surprise for Ash, and needed time to work on it. She had yet to return, and now Ash was starting to fear the worst.

"What?" Oak responded. "No, of course not! Your mother is perfectly fine. I'm sorry if I frightened you. My cousin and I are simply here to ask if you would like to travel to the Alola region!"

Ash gaped at the professor, startled by this new info. He tried frantically to process what the researched had just said, but failed miserably. At last he managed to calm down, and as his breathing evened, he finally realized what the professor had said.

"Wait, that man is your cousin? How come you don't look anything alike? And why is he dressed like he just stepped out from a summer vacation when it's already fall? And Alola? What in the world is that?" Ash suddenly blurted out all the questions that had bottled up in his head at Professor Oak's words.

He then brought his hand up to his mouth, realizing how much he had just offended the researcher's cousin.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that! I just-" Ash slumped his head, utterly embarrassed, and unable to meet the two mens' eyes.

To his surprise, he heard a deep rumbling, and then laughter filling the air. It was actually quite a melodious sound, and Ash looked up, startled.

He saw the strange looking man holding his round belly as he shook with laughter. His face was tilted towards the sky, and tears were running down his face.

At last he settled down, wiping his eyes, and grinning widely.

"This lad will be fun indeed." The man said, smiling a smile that covered his entire face.

Ash looked helplessly to Professor Oak, who simply shook his head, bemused.

"Well, as I see you've noticed Ash, my cousin is very… exotic. But to answer your other question, the Alola region is four different islands that form a semicircle around the fifth, man-made island. This region, like all regions, consists of many new pokémon for you to discover. Interestingly, some original pokémon from our very own region have traveled to the Alola region, and because of the way they have adapted, have changed their types and abilities. That's why this researcher is here today; to discover what caused it." Professor Oak gestured to the man standing beside him.

Ash stared confusingly at the professor, but he continued on anyway, not noticing the lost look on the boy's face.

"On each island, there is a Trial Captain. These trainers will give you a task that you must complete in order to move onto the next island. It's quite different from what we're used to; the standard gyms and defeating the Elite Four and Champion, but I think it will be nice for you to give it a try."

Ash frowned, contemplating what Professor Oak had just said. He then nodded his head slightly, indicating for the professor to go on.

"Very well. After the end of each trial, a certain pokémon will appear, known as a totem pokémon." Professor Oak continued.

"These totem pokémon are much larger than any of its species, and when you encounter them at the end of each trial, you will notice its enveloped in a special aura. Us researchers have yet to discover the cause of this, but we believe it is the reason this pokémon is able to call upon other pokémon to aid it in its battles." Oak's cousin interrupted.

Ash listened in awe, unconsciously jumping up and down on the balls of his feet at the possibility for him to witness these mysterious pokémon firsthand.

"Exactly." Professor Oak started from where the Alolan man had left off. "As my cousin said, these pokémon are very strange indeed, and are said to be very difficult foes due to its many allies. Anyway, there are multiple trials per island, and the final one is called the Grand Trial. These are the most difficult, as they are against the kahuna of each island, and they certainly are trainers to be reckoned with."

The Professor then turned towards his cousin, motioning for him to finish.

"That's right. If you win the battle against the kahuna, then you'll be publicly recognized, and able to move on to the next island!"

Ash creased his forehead, sensing there was something wrong with this statement. Finally, he realized what it was.

"I thought Professor Oak said that you only needed to complete one trial in order to move onto the next island." Ash questioned.

Both Ash and the man looked to Professor Oak, who chuckled quietly, his hand behind his head.

"Well… I guess I need to study up more on the Alola region." Oak replied meekly.

Ash and the professor's cousin laughed, knowing they would likely never get the chance to hear that again.

As the three were standing in peaceful silence, Ash realized that he had never picked up the man's name.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm afraid I don't know your name." Ash said, almost apologetically.

"Of course you don't, my lad. How careless of me." The man boomed out.

Ash had noticed he seemed to have quite a loud voice, but he liked that about him. It showed off an easygoing and cheerful attitude, which Ash appreciated.

"Well, it's Oak-Samson Oak."

"Okay, Professor Oak-number two. I just wanted to thank you for this amazing offer. I can't wait, to get started, but would you mind if I just talk to my mom about this? She's very overprotective, and I'm not sure how she will react to this news."

"Please, call me Samson. And of course, take your time with the reply. I leave for the Alola region next week, so if you have your answer by then, I would be happy to drop you off along with me."

Ash grinned, eager to get going on his long-awaited journey.

But just as the two men started to turn away, Ash saw a figure in the distance, dashing toward them, her hair flying out behind her.

Samson, Ash, and Professor Oak had been talking for the entire afternoon, so in the setting light, it was hard to make out the woman's features. Ash finally managed to pick up red hair in a ponytail, along with a blue skirt, yellow shirt, and pink cardigan as she got closer.

The face was still obscured in shadows, but Ash realized it was his mom, Delia Ketchum.

"Mom! What happened?" He asked. Delia was not someone who was known for running unless it was urgent.

Ash waited impatiently, finally starting off towards her, wondering what in the world she was doing here.

At last she reached him, and she clutched her side, panting like a dog. She was gripping a phone in her hand tightly, but Ash didn't seem to notice it.

"Mom, are you alright? What's happened? Is everything okay? Where did you come from?"

Still gasping for air, she shoved the phone into Ash's hands.

"Se-Serena. She's on… the line."


	3. A Meeting at Last

"" - Human speech

'' - Pokémon speech (humans cannot understand it)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon and am not in any way affiliated with it.

 **Hey guys, I hope you enjoy my story! I know this is a day early, but I wanted to get it posted before tomorrow since I'll be gone the whole day, and couldn't let it be late xD. Anyways, once again, enjoy the story, and feel free to comment your ideas for the story, characters, or whatever you want :).  
**

 **I promise you guys they will be in the Alola Region next chapter! I didn't mean to stretch this on so long, but it had to happen :P. Also, Gary is going to be introduced next chapter! Hopefully that will make it much more interesting :). Thanks so much for all you guys for sticking with this story, I really appreciate it 3.  
**

 **Also, if you get the book reference in the 5th paragraph, you're awesome :D**

 **By the way, a line break is a time pass (no other way worked :( - any suggestions?).  
**

* * *

Ash stopped in his tracks, his mouth agape, and his eyes finding only the phone in his mother's hand.

"It's not possible. It's not possible. It's not possible."

Ash gripped his hair, pulling it up and causing him to stand like end, looking as if he had just seen a ghost. Which in reality, it's almost like he had.

"It's not possible." He repeated. "This is all a dream."

Professor Oak and his cousin, sensing the importance of the current events, backed away slowly, understanding the need for Ash to be alone. Even Delia began to head back towards home, but as she turned back one more time, you could see the pity written clearly on her face. Subconsciously, he had stretched his arms out in front of him, a pleading look on his face, almost like a slave asking for his next dose of warmweed. Delia had then gently placed the phone in his hand, though she doubted he even registered the movement.

All of a sudden, as Delia and the two researchers began to fade away in the distance, a voice rang out through the speakers, loud and clear in the still night.

"Hello?"

It was a sweet, slightly high-pitched voice, but to Ash it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Slowly and carefully, as if it might drop and shatter into a thousand pieces, he held the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" Ash responded.

There was no response.

And then it hit him. He vaguely recalled having met a young girl in the woods when he was very little. She had been frightened off by a Pokémon, and was lost. She had said her name was-Serena! _She really does exist. Could it be?_ , he thought. All other thoughts vanished as all he could think of was that one girl who he had met on that very night years and years ago. He remembered how vulnerable she had looked, and thinking there had to be some way to help her.

"Serena? Is that you?" He barely managed to make out the words, as his breath came out in short little gasps.

There was a moment of silence, before the speakers crackled with the sound of static on the other end as Serena began to speak.

"I'm sorry but who is this? I think you may have the wrong number."

And just like that, all of Ash's hopes were crushed, and he crumpled to the ground like a rag doll.

"Excuse me. Are you okay? What's going on?" Despite her concerns that this was some sort of late-night prank, she had heard what sounded like sobbing on the other end, and for some reason, her gut was telling her to help this stranger.

"It's Ash. Of course you don't know me. Or maybe you do. I don't know. No one is real. But you are. So is everyone else?" He stammered over the words, blurting out nonsense as he fought to find what to say.

"Ummm… I have to go now… sorry." Serena said slowly.

"No!" Ash cried, more aggressively than he had intended to.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, I know you don't know me, but I'm pretty sure I do. Do you remember that one day in the forest, when you were lost, and got scared by a Poliwag? How I bandaged you up and led you out of that forest? I'm that Ash." He amended.

He heard a quick intake of breath on the other side of the line, and knew she remembered.

"Is it really you? After all these years?" Serena finally managed to respond.

"Yes." Ash replied. And on an impulse, he asked a question that had been lurking on the edge of his subconscious, something he hadn't even realized he had been wishing until he said it aloud. "And do you want to travel to the Alola region with me?"

* * *

It had been almost a week since the phone call with Serena. Since then, Ash's spirit never seemed to lower, and there always seemed to be a smile on his face as he skipped -in a manly way of course- around the gardens, humming under his breath. Even Pikachu had been affected, and let's just say more than one tree burned down because of it.

The loyal Pokémon didn't seem to mind that Ash had forgotten all about their training, as he sensed something was on his mind, and didn't want to deprive him of the joy it had so obviously caused him., being the wonderful friend he was.

One day, as Ash was searching through the Pokédex, having finally decided he needed to continue his training, Delia approached him, holding a bulky parcel in her hand.

"Ash. I have a surprise for you."

Ash looked up, startled. He had been so engrossed in what he was doing, he hadn't even heard his mom approach.

"Oh hey mom, how are you?" He said, not noticing what she was holding.

"Well, you know how I've been working on something for you? Well, it's finally finished."

Understanding dawned on the young trainer's face, and he stood up eagerly.

"Well, what is it?"

Delia smiled at his never-ending curiosity, and handed him the parcel. Tearing it apart in a matter of seconds, Ash pulled out the bundle, revealing a bundle of clothes. Disappointment was etched in his face, but he tried his best not to frown.

"Clothes? You know I don't need any…"

Delia, knowing where Ash's reaction had come from, casually said she could always take it back if he didn't like it. But she had waited until Ash had unfolded the entire uniform, and was staring in awe at the gift in front of him.

Included was a plain gray undershirt, with a striped blue and white collared shirt that stopped just before the elbows. In the center was a plain blue circle, signifying a pokéball. As for the pants, they were a light gray with red pockets and lining. However they ended just after the knees, serving a practical purpose for both the adventure and climate that came with the Alola region.

Delia had even gone out of her way to get custom-made shoes, which were dark blue at the top and light blue at the bottom, divided by a thin strip of white. The soles were also the same white, as was the small circle on the very tops of his shoes, resembling a cotton ball.

But the best part of the clothing was the hat. As Ash emptied the package, he noticed something tucked away in the corner. Slowly unfolding it, he revealed a red hat with a blue trim and white underneath. In the center was a logo that looked like two sideways brackets, and Ash loved it.

He rushed over, embracing his mom, unable to contain his happiness.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Ash recalled having told his mom how he had received most of his outfits from her throughout his journey while in the coma, so she must have gotten the idea from there. And, honestly, he was secretly quite glad she had.

"Well, I just hope you don't get it all dirty the first day." Delia joked.

Ash smiled, stepping back, more anxious than ever to start his journey.

* * *

Ash bounced up and down, rubbing his palms together, barely able to resist the urge to run towards the street in front of his house.

Ash couldn't stop staring, and he tried to preserve this moment in his mind; the way the sun reflected off her and made her glow. The way she walked, like a queen, with her head held up high, as a wide grin spread across her face. _She's beautiful_ , he thought. And she truly was.

Walking up the path to the house he had lived in all his life was a slim, blonde figure with short-cropped hair, and wearing a red-pink hat with a black ribbon running around it. She wore a simple, light pink dress, covered with a red coat that had its pockets full of various different trinkets. Nearly reaching all the way to her dress were enormous, light gray socks that protected her feet from the brown boots that encased her feet. To finish it off, she wore a petite, light blue bow tie hanging from the very top of her dress, adding a nice touch of color.

As she spotted Ash, her cheeks began to turn a rosy red, and she covered her face, embarrassed. Ash, she noticed, looked like an idiot. An extremely cute one, but still and idiot. He was grinning from ear to ear, and was peering out the window intently, not even realizing how creepy that was.

At last Serena reached Ash's house, and opened the door slowly, suddenly nervous at the thought of seeing her childhood crush once again.

"Serena!" Suddenly Ash rocketed off towards her, holding her arms out wide. Luckily, he had stopped just before crushing Serena in a hug, realizing she still barely knew him.

He stopped awkwardly, unsure of how to continue. But Serena's wide grin broke the silence. She stepped forward, embracing Ash. Her hat poked into his neck, but he didn't notice. And if he did, he simply didn't care, because he was seeing Serena again.

Suddenly Ash felt the heat in his body rise as Serena clung on to Ash longer than friends should. He felt as if he would explode had Serena not finally stepped back when she did.

"I'm so glad to see you Ash! I can't believe it. This is going to be amazing!" She squealed, the excitement getting to her at last.

Ash grinned, forgetting all about what had just occurred, and instead focusing on what lay ahead of them.

"Oh, about that. I forgot to tell you. We're leaving tomorrow." Ash said, as Serena's eyes widened, in both surprise and confusion.

"First, you two need to eat dinner." Delia Ketchum was suddenly standing at the doorway to the main living area. They had no idea how long she had been standing there, and Serena blushed once again.

The last thought Serena had before she was dragged off to the kitchen, was _Well this is going to be an interesting journey._


	4. I Choose You!

"" - Human speech

'' - Pokémon speech (humans cannot understand it)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon and am not in any way affiliated with it.

 **They're finally going to Alola this chapter! Lol, well I hope you guys enjoy. If there are any problems with the story, feel free to let me know down below in the comments, and I'll try my best to fix them :).**

 **Also, I promise there will be battles next chapter! And he will catch some Pokémon, of course. Let me know if you want me to follow the anime series, or make up my own team. If it's the latter, which ones?**

* * *

Ash smiled in delight as the cool air from the AC blew a steady stream directly onto his face, causing his hair to stand up, and his clothes to fill out like a balloon. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, and sniffed the air.

'Pika Pika!' It exclaimed.

"What's that, Pikachu? Do you smell something?" Ash responded, rubbing the fur around his best friend's neck.

Serena looked up at the sight, smiling wistfully at the close bond the two shared, taking a moment before speaking.

"It looks like we're here. Pikachu must have sensed the flowers." She laughed.

The two friends were finally on a plane to the Alola. After a quick, but delicious, dinner the night before, and a good amount of sleep, Ash and Serena had woken up refreshed and excited. And with two hours to get ready and get to the airport.

But of course, knowing Ash, they arrived just as the gates were closing. Dashing towards the plane, they had practically thrown their tickets at the attendant in their mad rush to get seats.

Now, so close to the Alola region, the two could feel their excitement renewed at the prospect of not only exploring this new region, but spending time with one another. Even as they were thinking about what lay ahead, Serena blushed before turning away and scolding herself for it.

 _I'm sure he doesn't even think anything of me._ She thought. Little did she know Ash had been voicing the exact same thing in his head.

At last, the plane landed, bouncing up once before finding ground once again as it hit the runway at 160 mph, speeding past buildings, cars, and people. Ash and Serena jumped up in their seats, then looked at each other uneasily.

Neither had ever been in a plane before, and it was a new, and frightening experience. Smiling reassuringly, Ash reached out and squeezed Serena's hand, unconsciously holding it for just a bit longer than what was needed.

After they determined their stomachs were in the right spot, and their pulse was steady and even, they reached up into the storage and grabbed their luggage. Ash had merely brought a sleeping bag stuffed with clothes and other items. But Serena, being the Kalos queen she was, had filled an entire suitcase, and now struggled to pull it down.

"Better leave that to the men." Ash joked, heaving the suitcase clear of the compartment and setting it down in the narrow aisle of the plane.

"Don't get used to it." Serena replied, but thanked him nevertheless.

Finally they were all set.

"You ready to go?" Ash asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ready when you are." Serena replied with a smile.

And just like that, they were off to Alola.

* * *

The three pokémon sat on a handmade wooden stage with white markings all around it. They flapped their wings, flicked their tails, and did tricks in the air. Serena immediately began walking around the three, interacting with them, testing them, and introducing Fennekin.

Ash looked on with a peculiar expression before copying her actions. At last he stepped back.

"Hmm…." Ash stroked his chin, and little wisps of hair were pulled down in the process.

To his right was a sea-blue seal with a light blue coral-like collar. It twirled in the air, and barked happily, wagging its tail up and down.

Ash then looked to the very left, where a small owl stood. It was everything you would expect, but interestingly, the pokémon wore a unique green bow tie for a nice touch. Rowlet was almost as energetic as Popplio, flapping its wings and soaring up into the air before landing again and jumping up and down.

In the center a grim kitten stood stock-still on all four legs, looking up as Ash walked over. It was pure black, except for the red stripes on its legs and the pattern on its forehead, along with the entire bottom of the face. Ash reached out to stroke Litten, but was met by a scorching jet of fire. He barely managed to jump out of the way.

"Woah! Calm down there. Reminds me a bit like you Pikachu, doesn't it?" Ash remarked.

'Pika Pika!' It said indignantly.

"You can't deny it." Ash grinned.

He looked back at the three Pokémon and opened up his Pokédex, comparing final evolutions, stats, and moves. It was a tough choice, but at last he made up his mind. Pikachu had helped of course, pointing to different things on the device, and nodding his head in agreement or disagreement. It wouldn't do to have his first two pokémon hate each other.

"Alright." Ash declared. "I have chosen."

He turned around, and pointed at Rowlet, who in return, jumped up in excitement, and into Ash's arms, nuzzling his chest. Ash laughed aloud in surprise and joy, holding Rowlet up for all to see. For special effect, he turned around in a circle, a grin lighting up his features as he viewed his new partner and knew he'd made the right choice.

"Well, it looks like you two have chosen each other." Hala said.

Hala was the island's kahuna, meaning Ash would have to battle him after completing each trial the captains thought up. If he beat Hala, Ash would be allowed to move on to the next island, and publicly recognized as a Pokémon trainer. After a brief introduction, Hala had led Ash and Serena to the main stage where battles took place, for Ash to choose his starter Pokémon.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

He had always regarded his pokémon as friends, even in his dreams, but also knew they were his. Ash had never thought a pokémon could choose it's master the way he had chosen Rowlet.

"Well, not only do you choose the pokémon, but the pokémon has to choose you. If you two don't work together from the very start, what hope is there for a future relationship? At least most of the time." He said quickly, looking at Pikachu. "Luckily, it looks like Rowlet has certainly taken to you quite well." Hala continued.

Ash smiled at his pokémon, then set it down on the ground.

"I'm sorry, but I have to put you in a pokéball now." He said.

Rowlet yipped in displeasure, but let Ash capture him without a problem.

Suddenly, unable to contain her excitement any longer, Serena ran towards Popplio. She had been waiting for Ash to make his choice first, but now that he had, it was time to make hers. In reply, the seal somersaulted onto her shoulder, nearly toppling Serena over from the unexpected weight. She laughed, and brought it up to eye-level, where it began an animated conversation with Fennekin, who was resting on her shoulder.

"It's perfect." She said, hugging her new partner.

Pulling out a pokéball, she quickly caught her new partner, before tucking it safely inside her bag.

Serena's gut had instantly told her to pick Popplio, but she had walked around Litten nevertheless. The owl had been quite adorable, but Ash had already chosen it. She wasn't too upset, because it stats weren't as high as she would have liked, and as long as he was happy, so was she. However it seemed a perfect first for Ash. With as much training as they did, it was sure to become immensely strong, and Serena smiled at the thought.

As for the fire cat, it just seemed so... grim. It was as if it never seemed to have fun. And it's final evolution was quite typical: the massive muscled beast that just knocks everything out cold. Serena had nothing against it, but already having chosen Fennekin, she felt it would balance her team out better if she tried a different approach.

Inside, Serena was quite happy. Not only did Popplio have the highest stats for its special attack and defense, but it was just generally beautiful. It's final evolution had just the right amount of finesse and beauty, and along with it came an air of importance and expectance. It had the ability of being able to make you do what it wanted without you even thinking about questioning its authority.

"Well done. I can see you'll have no problem on your journey." Hala said.

Ash and Serena jumped in surprise. They hadn't realized the kahuna was still there.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some business to attend to."

"Of course, thank you so much for all your help." Ash said gratefully, stepping in.

Hala nodded his head and headed back to where they had come from.

Now that they were all alone, Serena finally saw an opportunity to speak to Ash.

"It's adorable!" She squealed, looking directly at Rowlet.

Ash had taken his first Alolan pokémon out of his pokéball so it could have some fresh air right after capturing it. After all, he reasoned, there was no need for it to stay cooped up in there for the time being.

But now, Serena scooped Rowlet up in her arms, and rocked it gently from side to side. In response, the pokémon burrowed its head in her chest, parting her hair aside to make a mini nest.

Ash grinned at the sight.

"It looks like it likes you more than me." He said jokingly.

Serena went to give it back, but Ash stopped her, saying it deserved a nice rest.

She readily complied, glad to know she hadn't offended him. Rowlet stayed nestled in her arms all the way back to a small inn in which they had decided to stay. Lucky for them, it remained hidden, for only minutes after they had gone up to their rooms, did a stranger wearing pure black shorts and a tee with a white cross in front, come barging in.

He wore a white bandana with two black holes in the front, and below it was a mask of the same black color, with a white bridge pattern, resembling teeth. All together, the headset looked almost like a skull, with only the eyes and bits of hair peeking through the two parts.

Across the man's neck a silver _S_ engraved on a black circle hung from a chain. He was fingering it with his right hand, showing off a black cuff around his arm, with white edges to it, further adding to the black and white skull theme. To finish it off, the man wore black socks and white sneakers, which now tracked mud all over the inn floor.

He approached the innkeeper, who was cowering behind the bar.

"Have you seen a small boy and girl about the same height pass through here?" He growled.

The innkeeper looked around nervously, asking for silent help. But none was to be found. All eyes in the room were downcast, not daring to look up.

"No-no. I haven't seen them. Sir." He finally managed.

The grunt snarled, showing off glistening sharp teeth. The innkeeper backed away further in fear.

"You wouldn't mind if I checked then, would you?"

The pokéball in his left hand ceased its previous endless cycle of up, down, up down, as the man tossed it towards the ceiling and back.

Without waiting for an answer, he barged up the stairs, his heavy sneakers thumping on the creaky wooden boards, threatening to break under the weight.

Reaching the end of the hall, he saw a light shining underneath the doorway, and his brows furrowed in anger. He glanced shortly back down at the entrance of the inn, making a mental note to give the innkeeper a piece of his mind.

The grunt then shoved the door open to reveal a startled boy and girl. Ash immediately went to grab his pokéballs, but realized too late he had left them in the adjoining room.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here." the man sneered, his lips turning up and curling like a dog. "This is going to be fun."


	5. Held Hostage

"" - Human speech

'' - Pokémon speech (humans cannot understand it)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon and am not in any way affiliated with it.

 **Hey guys, thanks for all your reviews and follows! I hope I can reach 50 followers by the end of next week :D. Thanks once again for all your support, and don't forget to share your comments down below!**

 **Sorry this is a day early again, I have a piano exam tomorrow, and it will take up the whole day. Wish me luck! (I'll certainly need it D:)**

 **Also, in case any of you were wondering, Ash and Serena's teams are probably going to be different, which is why Serena has a Fennekin, not a Braixen.**

 **Finally, I made this a bit more realistic, so it may seem a bit… different from what you're used to in the anime. Leave what you think down below :).**

 **Now, enough with all the talking. On with the story!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Ash darted a look towards Serena, fear written clearly on his face. However Serena was the epitome of calm; steady, pokéball in her hand, and Fennekin in front of her, growling at the menacing stranger.

Ash was a bit taken aback, and attempted to calm his nerves down. He was already scolding himself immensely from within about having been careless enough to leave his Pokémon in the other room. But he didn't want to leave Serena alone with this _thug_.

As Ash contemplated what to do, the grunt began advancing towards the two children, and now Serena's eyes finally widened in fear.

Knowing Ash was their only chance, she yelled, "Go! Get your pokéballs! I'll hold him off in the meantime."

And just like that, he was off. Within seconds Ash was back, Pikachu on his shoulder, electricity sparking from his pouches. Rowlet was already out, and he began soaring up into the air towards the stranger.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, and as for you Rowlet, let's try out Leafage!" Ash directed.

Pikachu leaped at the man, shocking him with a jolt of electricity, making the thug scream out in pain. A half a second later Rowlet's Leafage hit him again, cutting his face all over. Desperately he pulled out a pokéball, revealing a Yungoos.

Furious now, and having shaken off the effects of Pikachu's attack, he was determined to get back at them.

Rubbing the nicks on his face, he growled, "Bite."

But at the same time, Serena had pulled out her Popplio, turning the odds even more against the stranger's favor.

"Four against one, huh? Looks like you can't even do an honest one-on-one battle."

"Let's see what you can do," Serena said, ignoring the comment. "Water gun!"

The Water gun, mixed with Fennekin's instinctive Flamethrower, created a spectacular jet of destruction, slamming into the grunt and sending him flying out into the hallway.

Ash and Serena turned to congratulate each other, but unfortunately for them, unnoticed in the heat of the battle, two other grunts had climbed in through the inn window, and now slammed wooden clubs above Ash and Serena's heads, knocking them out cold.

"Good. Now bring them to the campsite," Said a man, standing in the frame of the doorway.

The thug Ash and Serena had defeated had miraculously managed to get up, and now an evil grin was spreading across his face. The two had hurt him badly, and he was going to make them pay for it.

* * *

Sun filtered through the thick bushes crowding the area, and onto Ash's body. He rolled over in an attempt to get away, but something prevented him from doing so.

Muttering in his sleep, the blankets beneath him began to fill with heat, before blazing with an intensity like he had never seen before.

Yelping, Ash, jumped up, wide awake, only to find himself crashing back down again. He shook his arms and legs frantically, but they were chained to four posts on the corners of his sleeping bag.

However, the sound Ash had made awoke Serena, and she now sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"By the amount of noise you make, I would think a whole army was coming crashing through here," Serena said, eyeing Ash scornfully.

Then she saw the chains, and rushed forward to free her friend. Unfortunately, her feet too were chained, and before she knew it, she came crashing down on top of Ash, her hands splayed out in front of her like a bug.

"Well, this is awkward," Serena said, attempting to joke off the matter.

Ash grinned.

"Yes, it certainly is. And I wouldn't mind if I could get up. People are a bit heavier than Pokémon." He said easily.

Serena's eyes widened.

"I'm so sorry! I-I didn't-"

She was interrupted by Ash's soothing reply.

"Don't worry about it. I would help you, but as you can likely see, I'm kind of stuck here," He chuckled.

After some squirming and struggling, Serena finally managed to right herself, and now began smoothing out her dress.

Forgetting all about the previous moment, she began tutting as she noticed all the wrinkles in her dress. Immersed in her thoughts, Serena looked up, surprised, at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

She noticed Ash staring, and blushed, looking down, embarrassed at her lack of priorities.

Ash decided not to comment on the fact, and instead said, "It looks like our gracious hosts are here."

Serena looked up and glared at the man towering over her in her sitting position. It was the same thug they had battled earlier, and her brows furrowed at the memory. She then realized she didn't know how long it had been since they'd been kidnapped.

Distracted, she vaguely heard Ash's reply to a remark the man had said.

Shaking her head, her senses heightened and she caught on to the last few words.

"...Let her go!" Ash growled.

The man shook his head and laughed a deep, guttural laugh.

"You see sonny, I just can't do that for two reasons. One, she may be important in the near future, especially since you seem to care so deeply about her, and two, she knows too much about us already."

In fact, Serena had begun darting her head back and forth, taking in her surroundings, and trying to figure out their location. The action was stopped by a backhand blow to her head, and she staggered forward.

Ash started forward angrily.

"You can't hurt her!" He yelled.

"And what makes you think that?" The grunt said.

Serena had managed to catch sight of a clear area surrounded by thick brambles and bushes, with trees reaching up to the sky all around them. Pitched in the center around a dead campfire were three tents, and a woman had emerged out of the one on the left just as she was hit, wearing the exact same clothing as the man who had kidnapped them.

"Then let me battle you," Ash responded. "If I win, you let us and our Pokémon go. If I lose, you can do whatever you would like."

The grunt stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I'm not sure about letting you go. You're too valuable a hostage. Don't know why the boss wants a kid like you, but he's not someone to mess with."

He paused uncertainly. Feeling as if he had revealed too much information, he continued on, trying to cover up his mistake.

"But the girl," He jerked a thumb at Serena. "She can go."

"And her Pokémon?" Ash questioned.

"Oh, sure. They're useless anyways."

Serena's eyebrows furrowed in anger, but she remained quiet, realizing that was her best option at the moment. She trusted in Ash's ability to get them out of this situation.

"Fine. Keep me. As long as she's safe. So how about that battle?"

The man smiled, much like the Cheshire Cat.

"Oh, you'll get your battle all right," He said delightedly. "And you're going to regret you ever asked for it."

* * *

An area had been set aside in the forest for the battle that was to take place. A large rectangle sat in the center marked by tall grass, with two smaller areas on each side for the trainers to stand.

In the center was a crudely painted Pokéball symbol, a line running through it to divide the field in half.

Now, with the sun high overhead, the two trainers stepped out onto the battlefield, pokéballs in hand.

Ash had been relieved of his chains almost half an hour ago so he could stretch and prepare. However he was closely watched, in case he made any sign to escape.

But Ash knew he could never leave without Serena.

Now, Serena watched nervously from the sides as the battle began. She was confident in Ash's ability, but he had only two Pokémon, and Rowlet was still level one. Her throat constricted in fear, and all of a sudden she felt the desperate need for water.

"I trust you'll keep up with your end of the bargain," Ash yelled across the field.

Even from this distance, he could see the sneer on the man's face.

"Of course," He said, holding a hand to his belly.

The grunt was slightly overweight, and almost as short as Ash and Serena. His Pokémon had no respect for him, and even hesitated before each attack issued to them. On the other hand, Ash was lean and fit. His Pokémon loved him, and in return he was confident in his Pokémon's abilities.

Ash was too busy choosing which Pokémon to use first to respond. He wanted Rowlet to get plenty of experience from this battle, but didn't want it to get hurt either.

After much contemplation, he decided he'd use Rowlet, then quickly switch out to Pikachu.

"Are you ready?" The grunt called.

Ash responded by releasing Rowlet onto the battlefield.

"Yungoos, go!" He head the man yell.

Ash nodded. He'd expected as such.

"Rowlet, use Leafage, then follow up with Tackle. Before they can hit you, switch out with Pikachu." He said to his Pokémon.

Rowlet nodded its head in acknowledgement, then turned back to face its opponent.

Rowlet ran towards Yungoos, and shot a barrel of razor-sharp leaves at it. Then, still following through with its momentum, Rowlet rammed headfirst into Yungoos, sending it sprawling. Before it had time to recover, Rowlet was soaring across the field, Pikachu already taking its place.

Ash, sensing Yungoos was weak from Rowlet's attack, knew it was vital to save Pikachu's strength, so decided to use Pikachu's trademark move, which was effective, but also not as strong.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

A strong jolt of electricity flew towards Yungoos, lighting up the gradually darkening air. Yungoos, just beginning to stand up, crumpled back down to the ground from the shock.

The judge, another one of the grunts, hoped desperately that Yungoos would stand back up again. He waited a few moments, then grudgingly raised the flag on his left, signalling Ash was the victor of that round.

Ash was tempted to run onto the field to congratulate Pikachu, but merely grinned, all the while calculating moves and distances in his head.

"Alright, Pikachu. You did great. Now let's give Rowlet some time on the field," He said.

Pikachu stepped back, and Rowlet hopped onto the field, energized at the fact that it would be battling once again.

In return, the man released another Yungoos.

"Use bite!" He snarled.

"Rowlet, dodge it, and while it's unbalanced, tackle it back down to the ground. Then hit it with Leafage again, and have Pikachu take over," Ash strategized.

Rowlet only knew two moves, so he decided to hit the opponent with them quickly, then retreat to let Pikachu handle the rest.

As Yungoos ran forward with its teeth bared, Rowlet tensed up on the balls of its feet. It leapt to the side just in time as Yungoos snapped down onto where Rowlet's wing had been only moments before.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief.

Next, as Yungoos tipped forward, off-balance, like Ash knew it would, Rowlet slammed into it again, the close distance defeating the poor Pokémon. To be safe, Rowlet sent another barrage of leaves after it, and Ash felt almost sorry for Yungoos.

Surprised, Ash realized he hadn't needed his Pikachu for this round. Rowlet was strong enough to handle the job. At that thought, he smiled to himself.

"I'll show you! My next pokémon won't be as easy to beat," The grunt yelled.

Ash smirked, his confidence growing.

"We'll see," He replied.

For the last round, surprise, surprise, the man pulled out yet another Yungoos. Yet somehow, Ash knew this one would be tougher than its fellow pokémon.

"Okay, Pikachu. You're up. This one could be dangerous, so stay on your guard." He lectured.

Pikachu nodded understandingly.

"Start forward with Quick Attack like we practiced, then hit it with Iron Tail," He said. "But it won't be over yet. It might try and fake it, but go ahead with Electroball."

'Pikachu!' It said, its pouches already sparking with electricity.

Then Pikachu dashed forward at startling speed, his motions blurring together so Yungoos could never see where Pikachu was. Then, out of nowhere, Pikachu leapt out towards Yungoos and slammed its tail, now encased in iron, onto Yungoos' head. The effect was instantaneous.

It lay there for a moment, and for a second Ash thought it had fainted, and the battle was over. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yungoos move slightly.

"Electroball!" He shouted to Pikachu.

A small yellow ball began to form, slowly at first, then it grew rapidly as tendrils of electricity danced to and from the center, highlighting Pikachu's face in a black light, as if it had risen from the Underworld.

With a massive effort, Pikachu hurled the newly formed ball straight at Yungoos. Ash saw the Pokémon's eyes widen, before it was hit head-on by the pulsing mass of energy.

The Yungoos had fainted before it hit the ground.


End file.
